I. Functions: Expressing Purpose

Purpose with to, in order to and so as to

Use to, so as to, and in order toto express purpose in the affirmative form.

Examples:
  • He is looking for a part time job to save some pocket money.
  • She wakes up early in order to be on time to work.
  • They visited him so as to offer their condolences for the death of his wife.

Use so as not to and in order not toto express purpose in the negative form.

Examples:
  • They woke up early in order not to be late.
  • She exercises regularly so as not to get fat.

Purpose with so that

You can also express purpose with so that. In this case you generally need to use a modal.

Examples:

  • She told him to play quiet so that he wouldn't disturb the neighbors.
  • He got a visa so that he can travel to the USA.
  • He decided to stay in England for a while so that he could practice his English.

Exercise: rewrite these sentences using the words suggested:

  1. He wakes up early. He wants to be on time. (so as to)
  2. He opened the window. He wanted to let fresh air in.(in order to)
  3. I took my camera. I wanted to take some photos.(so that)
  4. He studied really hard. He wanted to get better marks.(to)
  5. He talked quietly. They didn’t want to disturb the guests. (so as)

II. Grammar: Past Perfect Tense

Past perfect simple

Form of the past perfect simple:

Had + Past Participle
  • Use the past perfect tense to show an action that was completed prior to another action that took place in the past.

Examples:

  • He had learned Spanish before he immigrated to Spain.
  • They had had lunch when I arrived.

Past perfect continuous

Form of the past perfect continuous

Had + been + verb + ing
  • We use the past perfect continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another action stopped it.
    Example:
    - We had been playing soccer when the accident occurred
  • We use the past perfect continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past. "For five minutes" and "for two weeks" are both durations which can be used with the Past Perfect Continuous.
    Example:
    - I had been living in that small town for three years before I moved to New York.
  • We use the Past Perfect Continuous before another action in the past to show cause and effect.
    Example:
    - I was so tired. I had been revising my lessons for hours.

Exercise: put the verbs into the correct form (past perfect or the simple past)

  1. The storm (destroy) ______the house that they had built .
  2. The children (clean)______the blackboard they had used to do the mathematics exercise.
  3. When she went out to play, she (do / already)______her homework.
  4. She (eat)______all of the food that we had made .
  5. He took off the jacket he (put on)______before.

Exercise: put the verbs into the correct form (past perfect continuous or simple)

  1. They (eat) ______dinner in the restaurant when they heard the explosion.
  2. Before she went to bed, she (watch) ______a movie on TV.
  3. It was time for him to relax. He (work) ______hard all day long.
  4. She (teach) ______in that school for 20 years before she retired.